Tunisian Woman's Police-Rape Charge Sparks Protest Call

Sept. 27 (Bloomberg) -- Tunisian civil-society groups are
rallying in solidarity with a 27-year-old woman who was accused
of “indecency” after she was allegedly raped by two policemen,
Al Jazeera news website reported.

Police stopped the woman and her fiance on Sept. 3 in the
Ain Zaghouan suburb of Tunis, the capital, Al Jazeera said,
citing an interview the man had with France 24 today. He said
they demanded money and handcuffed him, and then raped the woman
in the back of their car, according to Al Jazeera.

The case marks the first time a woman allegedly raped by
the police took the case to court, Al Jazeera said, citing Faiza
Skandrani, the head of the Equality and Parity organization.

Al Jazeera said there is “widespread outrage” after the
investigating judge summoned the woman yesterday to face charges
of indecency lodged by the two men accused of raping her.

Human-rights and feminist groups formed a committee to
coordinate a campaign in support of the woman, calling for a
demonstration outside the court on Oct. 2, when the police are
due to appear on rape charges, according to Al Jazeera.